


The only Heaven I’ll be sent to, is when I’m alone with you

by Toomanyfandoms99



Series: (No Longer A) Secret Marriage [11]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Secret Marriage, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-04
Packaged: 2019-05-01 18:28:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14526555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toomanyfandoms99/pseuds/Toomanyfandoms99
Summary: Castiel found himself being taken to a dark room in the back of the building.When he was locked inside, he had to contain a scream.It was Zachariah from the other dimension.





	The only Heaven I’ll be sent to, is when I’m alone with you

**Author's Note:**

> The title was taken from the song “Take Me to Church” by Hozier (of course). Enjoy!

Dean needed to stop going outside the bunker if a portal was always bound to open.

But when his favorite three angel brothers landed on the soft grass, he realized something.

They were all wearing thin undershirts, trying to calm their pounding hearts.

Dean zeroed in on his husband immediately.

Cas’s black undershirt clung to his taut stomach and broad chest, his muscled arms — that could lift him effortlessly — gloriously exposed. His skin had a slight glow from a thin layer of sweat, his hair tousled by brutal winds — or perhaps from running a great distance. Cas was lying on the grass, Dean observing his chest rise and fall.

Fuck, how was Dean even coherent right now?

He approached the three angels, Balthazar noticing him first.

“Ah, see Cassie? I knew Dean would find you.”

Cas and Gabriel sat up, surprised at Dean’s appearance.

“You owe him five bucks, Cassie,” Gabriel reminded him.

But Cas was staring at Dean, who was sending his desire through the bond. And Dean wasn’t sure if Cas’s blush was because he was sweaty or if it was a bond reaction, but he would take it.

“Hello?” Gabriel waved a hand between Dean and Cas, breaking the spell.

Cas materialized five dollars and handed it to Balthazar quickly. He stood up and resumed his silent conversation with Dean.

Well, it was more like sending emotions to one another, but Dean still considered it a conversation.

He quickly turned the switch on in his mind that allowed him to see Cas’s wings.

And fuck, it took all of Dean’s self-control not to take his husband right here.

Cas in a black undershirt with raven wings around his tan skin was enough to drive anyone mad with want.

Or need.

Dean shut off the switch, afraid of where his mind was headed.

That’s when Sam showed up.

“Ah, hello confused moose,” Balthazar greeted.

Dean held back a laugh. His brother did, indeed, look like a confused moose.

Sam glanced at Gabriel tentatively, the archangel inclining his head in a hello.

Sam was trying really hard not to look at Gabriel’s exposed arms, Dean raising an eyebrow towards Cas. His husband smiled a little, as if saying “I told you so.”

“Well!” Balthazar’s voice effectively cut through the sexual tension. “I’ll just take the artifacts,” he picked up a knapsack that Dean hadn’t noticed, “and get them back upstairs.”

Gabriel finally looked at his brother. “Yeah, do that, and put them-”

“In the shiny vault,” Balthazar finished. “Ta ta now.” He zapped away with the knapsack.

————

“So, this is an afternoon delight?”

Dean chuckled. “Where’d you hear that?”

Castiel shrugged. He didn’t want to admit that he read trashy novels recommended to him by Alex and Patience.

Dean smirked into his pillow. “I’ll find out eventually.”

Cas ignored the comment and sighed contentedly. The way Dean cornered him as soon as he walked in the room — kissing him like a man possessed, trailing his hands up his stomach and removing his undershirt slowly — expressed how affected Dean was by him. And the way they just made love, so frivolously and passionately, meant that Cas was going to wear less clothes if this was the outcome.

Coyly, Cas asked, “could you just not help yourself?”

Dean admitted, “I really, really couldn’t, darlin’.”

Castiel huffed. “Well, now we’re both dirty.”

“Worth it.”

Cas rolled his eyes and stood up, Dean not bothering to hide his ogling. He took out a change of clothes — his Pink Floyd T-shirt and jeans — and glanced back at Dean.

“You going to join me in the shower or what?”

Dean rocketed out of bed, Castiel laughing as he walked into the bathroom. 

————

“I have a secret.”

The second Charlie said those words, Castiel glanced around the kitchen to make sure no one was around.

“What is it?” Cas asked, trying to hide his eagerness.

Charlie stage whispered, “I’ve been showing the wayward sisters the Winchester Gospel.”

Castiel raised an eyebrow. “You know that if Dean or Sam find out-”

“I know,” Charlie hissed. “But I thought you would appreciate it.”

“I suppose I’m okay with it. As long as they keep quiet.”

“Gotcha, Cas. Discretion is my middle name.”

“Your middle name is-”

Charlie shushed him, Castiel hiding a smile.

————

Here’s the thing about Mary Winchester.

In the time she spent back on Earth, it was clear that she no longer belonged there. This made her want to go back to Heaven as soon as possible. So, Castiel and Jack sent her on a one-way trip upstairs.

Dean and Sam were upset for a while after that, but time healed all wounds.

If Mary wanted to go to Heaven, then so be it. 

However, Mary continued to be a sore subject, especially for Dean.

Castiel knew that his husband was as stubborn as a mule when he wanted to be.

But now that Heaven was reopened after the war, Cas knew that his trip was long overdue. After all, Mary was Castiel’s mother-in-law — unbeknownst to her — and they secretly spent a lot of time together while Sam and Dean were in prison.

That was a dark time for Cas, since he was frustrated that he couldn’t save his own husband, but Mary made things more interesting.

Mary’s Heaven was a copy of the house she once shared with her husband, the house they had before she died in it, before baby Sam and toddler Dean’s lives were changed forever.

Castiel wondered why this was her Heaven. It was a place that only brought pain to the rest of her family.

But perhaps she enjoyed it, and that was what mattered.

Mary was shocked by Cas’s presence at her front door.

“Hello, Mary.”

“Cas,” Mary started, “what’re you doing here?”

“I came to see how you were.”

Mary held open the door as an invitation. Castiel walked past the threshold.

“I’m having tea. Want some?”

“Sure.”

Mary produced a cup of tea for Cas and motioned towards her couch. Castiel sat, Mary curling up in an armchair with her mug.

As Cas took a sip of his tea, — one of the perks of Heaven was that he could truly taste foods without considerable effort — Mary gasped.

Castiel’s eyebrows furrowed. “What?”

Mary grabbed one of his hands, staring at his silver wedding band.

Oh.

So right to this, then.

Mary wasn’t one to mince words. “What’s this now?”

Cas was a little scared. “Well, you see, for the entire time I’ve known you, and I’m sorry about this, but,” he swallowed, “I’ve been married to Dean.” Before Mary could speak, he added, “I didn’t tell you because-”

“You wanted me to like you for you,” Mary finished.

Hesitantly, Cas asked, “are you mad?”

“No,” Mary replied, “just surprised. You’re quite a catch, you know. I didn’t give Dean enough credit.”

Castiel was speechless. Here he was, thinking he was going to get slapped or screamed at, but Mary was on his side and accepted him completely.

Sensing that Cas was overwhelmed, Mary said, “it’s fine, Cas. And that’s a really nice ring you’ve got there.”

Castiel blushed. “Dean made it.”

Mary’s eyes widened. “He made it himself?”

“Y-yeah.”

Mary seemed to read something in Cas’s expression. “Dean’s a big softie, isn’t he?”

“He is. And he means well.”

Mary took a sip of her tea. “I understand that now.” She paused, then asked, “how are they?”

Castiel answered, “Dean and Sam are fine, for once.”

Mary was visibly relieved. “That’s good. What’s been going on since I’ve been up here?”

Cas filled her in on everything. The war, Chuck’s resurrections, and any adventures in between.

When he was finished, Mary didn’t say anything for a moment.

“It’s a lot to take in, I know,” Castiel said.

“I’ll say,” Mary agreed. “But you’ve all survived this long.”

“Good point.”

Suddenly, a green envelope flew from the ceiling and into Cas’s lap.

Castiel looked at Mary and said, “that’s my brother requesting a meeting.”

They both stood up, Mary giving Cas a hug and warm goodbye.

After promising to visit again soon, Castiel teleported away.

————

Cas was surprised that Gabriel had an office.

But Heaven’s previous bureaucracy couldn’t be completely reconfigured, he supposed.

What didn’t shock him, though, was the insane baubles and magical items strewn about Gabriel’s space.

“Cassie!” Gabriel exclaimed from his comfortable chair. “Come sit.”

Castiel sat across from Gabriel, observing a spherical paperweight that seemed to contain all of outer space.

“So, two things.” Cas directed his attention to his brother as he began. “First, I’ve been considering, since Father isn’t coming back anytime soon, and there’s so few of us left, that I could create some more angels.”

Cas blinked.

Gabriel clarified, “angel babies.” He leaned forward, his whiskey eyes swirling with various shades of brown and gold. “I know how to do it, Cassie. I saw Father do it.”

Cas tapped his index finger on his thigh rhythmically, thinking for a moment. 

“Do we have enough angels that we trust?”

“We do. And it’s not like the other angels have much choice. They’ll have to accept me as leader eventually.”

Cas’s mouth quirked upwards. “Even if it takes centuries?”

“Even if it takes centuries.”

“How many angels?”

“A dozen.”

Cas shot him a judgemental look. “They aren’t eggs, Gabe.”

“I know!” Gabriel said exasperatedly, “I just like the number twelve, okay?”

“I was joking. Twelve is a sacred and perfectly good number.”

“Good!” Gabriel huffed. “I thought so too.”

“I think that babies could bring some happiness back to this place. You have my blessing.”

Gabriel smiled. “Great! On to the second thing. There’s an artifact that we need to get. The hiccup is that it’s going to be at a gala where only women are allowed.”

Castiel knew where this was going. “I’m body swapping, then.”

“Me and Bali are too, so you’re not alone.”

“It always feels weird.”

“I know,” Gabriel said sympathetically. “The gala is tomorrow night.”

Cas sighed. “Alright.”

“See you in the morning.”

————

Castiel found Dean reading mind-numbing books in his library armchair.

He always hated this part.

“Going on a mission?” Dean prompted, closing his book.

“Tomorrow.”

Dean nodded in understanding.

Cas’s guilt ate at him.

“I-”

“I know,” Dean said soothingly, his eyes meeting Cas’s. The seraphim approached warily, choosing not to sit down. Dean noticed this immediately. A gift and curse of the bond. “There’s something else.”

“I visited your mother in Heaven today.”

He watched Dean’s expression change multiple times before settling on a blank slate. “Oh?”

“I told her about us, and she was impressed that you chose me.”

Dean looked at the gold wedding ring on his hand. His eyes grew soft as he stared at his lap.

His voice was tentative and childlike. “Really?”

Castiel offered his hand, his ring glinting in the lamplight. Dean took it, kissing his knuckles and resting it on his cheek. Dean closed his eyes, overwhelmed with emotions, and enjoyed Cas’s feather-light touches.

A moment later, Dean took a deep breath, opening his eyes. “Keep my mom safe, darlin’.”

Cas smiled. “That’s the plan.”

————

Castiel surveyed himself in the mirror.

Or was it herself?

No, it was already weird.

Being a woman was strange.

Gabriel and Balthazar appeared, the three angels taking in each other’s vessels.

“I know this is going to sound weird,” Balthazar said, “but we look hot.”

Castiel facepalmed, Gabriel stifling a laugh.

————

Cas didn’t know when he got split up from Gabriel and Balthazar.

But they had the artifact and were making an escape, which was a good thing.

Castiel found himself being taken to a dark room in the back of the building.

When he was locked inside, he had to contain a scream.

It was Zachariah from the other dimension.

Zachariah smiled, his teeth shining like knives. “Well hello there, Castiel.”

Cas clenched his jaw, dealing out his best glare.

“That’s a nice meat suit you’ve got there.” Zachariah approached him, trailing a hand along his cheek. “Always with the black hair and blue eyes, hm?” 

Cas wished he had a blade concealed in his dress. But Gabriel had said there were no weapons allowed.

Castiel would never listen to Gabriel again.

“I remember the day you killed yourself on my world,” Zachariah said fondly. He stood an uncomfortable inch away from Cas. “I was there. And no one seemed to care.” Zachariah ran a hand through Cas’s long black hair, the seraphim refusing to recoil from the unwanted touch. “Everyone just thought you were weak.” He spat out the last word like a venomous curse. “A disappointment to your brethren.” Cas steeled his gaze. “So,” Zachariah grabbed his chin forcefully, “what makes you so special in this world, little birdy?”

Castiel was reminded of his conversation with the alternate Raphael and Naomi, just before he brutally killed them.

But Zachariah was no fool.

He stepped a safe distance away from Cas before he could get any ideas. “Here’s the deal, Castiel. I heard you got yourself a nice little nephilim.”

Shit.

“You’re going to give the nephilim to me,” Zachariah’s eyes flashed menacingly, “within twenty-four hours, or you’ll be in a world of hurt.”

Not the best threat, but Castiel took it seriously.

Cas asked dumbly, “what makes you think that I know where the nephilim is?”

“Save your lies,” Zachariah hissed. He motioned for his goons to grab Cas’s forearms. “Twenty-four hours, Castiel.”

Cas was thrown out of the room.

————

The first thing Castiel did after switching back to his normal vessel was take Jack to Gabriel’s cloud.

When Cas showed up in his trademark suit and trench coat, Gabriel and Balthazar looked ready to either scream or cry.

Cas let go of Jack’s arm and silenced everyone with, “Zachariah is here.”

Gabriel’s eyes widened. “The other Zachariah?”

“He wants Jack. I’ve brought him here so you can both protect him.”

“I’ll go with him,” Jack said weakly.

Castiel stared at the nephilim. “Out of the question.”

“He’s right, Jack,” Gabriel said. “You’re staying here.”

“What are you going to do, Castiel?” Jack asked.

Cas remained silent.

“You’re going to give yourself up, aren't you?” Balthazar asked warily.

“No, Castiel!” Jack exclaimed.

“I agree with the kid,” Gabriel said. “I’m not letting that happen.”

Cas knew what he had to do. Everyone was going to hate him.

“I knew you would say that,” Cas said somberly. With new conviction, Castiel recited an Enochian sleeping spell.

He heard their protests as his brothers and Jack fell into a deep sleep.

————

“Where’s the nephilim, pretty boy?”

Castiel tried not to sneer. Zachariah, in the span of a day, had somehow gotten uglier.

“I don’t think you really want the nephilim. I think you want me.”

Zachariah snickered. “Why would I want a useless little bird?”

Castiel was hoping for that question. He smirked knowingly. “This little bird killed all of your friends.” 

Zachariah’s reaction had Cas stifling a laugh.

“That’s right, assbutt,” Cas said, “I had Michael brutally murdered. It was an amazing gladiator match, but,” he taunted, “that little birdy got his wings plucked. And his heart cut out.”

Zachariah clenched his jaw.

Castiel continued. “I killed Raphael and Naomi myself.” He laughed cruelly. “I slit Raphael’s throat, and watched as he sputtered and died a slow death. He was pathetic, really. A poor excuse for an archangel.”

Zachariah looked ready to leap at Cas’s throat and squeeze the life out of him. But Cas wasn’t scared of him. He wasn’t scared of anyone anymore.

“Naomi was even more pathetic.” Cas grimaced. “She was so shocked that I killed her master like a little bitch that she barely noticed the holes I put through her body.”

“Enough!” Zachariah yelled.

Cas winked. “I could go on, if you like.”

Zachariah closed the distance between them lightning fast, grabbing his forearm. He growled, “you're coming with me.”

As they teleported away, Castiel bit his lip to prevent himself from laughing.

Idiot.

————

When Gabriel, Balthazar, and Jack woke up, it was already too late.

Gabriel threw a pillow across his cloud. “Dammit!”

Balthazar sighed. “Feel better now?”

“No!” Gabriel threw more pillows.

Balthazar placed a comforting hand on Jack’s shoulder. “He’s just having a mini tantrum. It’ll be over in a minute.”

Jack’s wide eyes met Balthazar’s blue ones. “Why did Castiel do this?”

Balthazar sighed again. “He wants to keep you safe, little one.”

“We could have come up with a plan,” Jack said feebly.

“I know. But when a parent knows their child is in danger, the parent will do anything to protect their child. Even if it’s stupid.”

Jack swallowed and stared at the mass of vapors below him.

Gabriel finally stopped throwing pillows, composing himself. He calmly walked over to Balthazar and Jack. “Okay, so we don’t know where Cassie could have been taken. We need something to narrow the search.”

Jack knew the answer immediately. “Dean.”

The archangel and seraphim sighed.

“Fuck, what are we going to tell him?”

“Language, Bali. There’s a child present.”

“What are we going to tell him, Gabe?” Balthazar splayed out his hands. “‘Hey, sorry we lost Cassie, he’s doing something stupid again?’”

Gabriel huffed. “Pretty much.”

“I was joking, Gabe.”

“I’m not.”

A pause. “If Dean murders us,” Balthazar pointed an accusatory finger at the archangel, “that’s on you.”

“Fine.”

————

Dean wanted to punch a hole through the wall.

When Gabriel and Balthazar told him what happened, he really wanted to explode in their faces.

But he didn’t.

Cas wouldn’t want him to do that.

Instead, Dean remained stoic. He could tell that the angels had braced themselves for an onslaught of verbal abuse. He surprised them with his silence.

He had learned from his husband that silence was deadlier than words.

When they finished their explanation, Dean asked, “you want me to find him?”

Gabriel and Balthazar looked sheepish.

That was a yes, then.

“Give me a few minutes alone.”

————

“He’s in another dimension. Everything’s dark,” Dean informed them as he walked back into the room.

“The dark dimension,” Gabriel clarified. “Figures that asshole would go there.”

“I’m coming with you.”

Gabriel looked ready to protest, but Dean gave him his best glare.

The archangel shivered. “You look like Cassie when you do that. Creepy.” Dean rolled his eyes. “That too.” Gabriel cleared his throat. “Okay, you’re coming.”

A childlike voice suddenly said, “Dean.”

Dean turned to Jack. “Yeah?”

“Are you mad at me?”

All of Dean’s negative emotions went out the window. He softened his expression and voice. “No, Jack. Of course not. Why would you think that?”

“I-I don’t know.”

Dean said firmly, “Cas did the right thing. No one in this bunker would ever put you in danger, Jack.”

Jack nodded in understanding.

Gabriel patted Dean’s shoulder. “Good parenting. Now let’s go.”

————

With Jack being taken care of by Sam, — after informing him of the situation — the two angels and Dean went to the dark dimension.

Balthazar cast a spell to light the way once they couldn’t see a thing.

Dean held Cas’s black feather in his hands — which he had kept in his jacket ever since their last anniversary — and dove headfirst into their bond.

With the feather as his anchor, he used the bond to track Cas’s location.

When Gabriel and Balthazar looked at him funny, Dean realized his eyes were glowing.

“What?” Dean barked. “Never seen a man’s eyes glow before?”

Balthazar coughed awkwardly and Dean registered traces of Gabriel’s smile.

“Follow me,” Dean ordered.

————

When Dean saw Cas chained upside down with some of his feathers extracted, his vision went red.

————

Dean showed no mercy to Zachariah.

Dean was a bit sad that Cas wasn’t conscious to see Zachariah and his goons getting ripped to shreds.

————

It took a long time for Dean to scrub the blood off his skin.

He may have gone too far.

But Cas’s brothers were right there with him.

They would all do anything for Cas. That, Dean realized, was what they had in common, what bound them together. They were all on Cas’s side, the only side that really meant anything.

The time of betrayals and unnecessary drama was over. Gabriel, Balthazar, and Dean were united with the goal of keeping Cas safe.

As Dean washed away the blood, he realized that he didn’t feel an ounce of regret when he once would have.

Dean had truly lost his self-control, hadn’t he? All for Castiel Winchester, his love, his life?

Good.

————

Castiel woke up in his bunker bedroom — which he rarely used — with Jack by his side.

“Castiel,” Jack said. “How do you feel?”

Cas sighed. “Okay, considering.”

“You healed yourself quite nicely.”

Cas checked his faculties. “I suppose so.”

Jack’s expression grew serious. “I’m sorry.”

The intensity in Castiel’s gaze nearly startled Jack. “Don’t you ever be sorry for something like this. You are not a burden. You don’t deserve this life.”

“I wouldn’t change this life for anything. You know why?” Jack smiled. “I have a big family that cares about me.”

Cas nodded and held back tears. “You do indeed.”

————

“So, what book are you on?”

The wayward sisters looked at the cover of the Carver Edlund book.

Claire replied, “Lazarus Rising.”

Castiel’s grin was impossible to contain.

Alex gasped. “What does that smile mean?”

“Cas!” Patience exclaimed.

Cas only chuckled. “You’ll have to keep reading.”

Claire sighed deeply. “You’re no fun.”

“I’m plenty of fun,” Castiel defended. “We have a baking club.”

“True,” Alex said.

“Your brownies really are A-plus,” Jo commented.

“See, Claire? I’m fun. Now go read the next book.”

————

Castiel had been awake an hour and Dean had yet to appear.

He wondered for the hundredth time what happened after he passed out.

————

Dean settled next to Bobby on the couch, watching weird advertisements.

Bobby shot him a look. “What are you doing here, boy?”

“Can’t I watch ads with you?”

“That depends. Did you talk to Cas yet?”

“No,” Dean said weakly.

“Then no.”

“I-I can’t right now.”

Bobby raised an extremely critical eyebrow. “Did you lose your legs in the past minute we’ve been talking?”

Dean stared at his hands, his reflection shining in his wedding band. “No. I just can’t right now.”

Bobby noticed the shift in Dean’s mood. “Is this about you coming in here drenched in blood an hour ago?”

Dean’s silence was Bobby’s answer. Dean focused on an advertisement about a kitchen appliance for a moment.

When Bobby was about to give up on the conversation, Dean said, “I lost control. And I don’t feel any remorse.”

Bobby wasn’t expecting that one, Dean could tell.

“You really love him, then.”

Dean blinked and directed his full attention to Bobby. “What?”

“That’s how you know you love someone with everything you got. You would lose sight of yourself for them. You will be redeemed in their eyes, and then your own.”

Dean nearly forgot that Bobby was married once. He knew what he was talking about.

“That’s not vague at all,” Dean said sarcastically.

“Idjit,” Bobby muttered under his breath, “get out of my face.”

Dean got out of his face. 

————

When Castiel couldn’t read Dean’s expression when he walked in and shut the door, he braced himself for anything.

Dean took his rightful place at Cas’s bedside. 

Castiel searched through their bond, and was met with a tumultuous storm of emotions. His husband was trying to keep them all at bay, to no avail.

“Hey darlin’.” Dean’s usual greeting was flimsy. “How do you feel?”

“Okay,” Cas answered. He took Dean’s hand. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Dean’s eyes were a green-blue sea, raging with powerful waves crashing against the shore. He stared at their intertwined hands like they were a miracle.

“It’s better if you look yourself,” Dean said quietly.

Hesitantly, Castiel sat up on his pillow, touching two fingers to Dean’s forehead.

He was greeted with an onslaught of images. They were of Dean, Gabriel, and Balthazar finding him in Zachariah’s possession. They were of his husband and brothers tearing apart Zachariah’s entire operation. They were of Dean saving Zachariah for last, making his death as painful as possible, slicing into him until his blood and ashen grace stained the ground and Dean himself.

Castiel removed his fingers from Dean’s forehead, his husband visibly afraid to open his eyes.

“Come here,” Cas said softly.

Dean’s expression softened. 

“Come lay next to me.”

Dean opened his eyes, which were shining with unshed tears. He said, almost inaudibly, “but I’m-”

“A monster?” 

Cas couldn’t believe this man. This was what scared him? That Castiel would hate him because of this?

“So am I,” Cas said. “Now. Come. Here.”

Dean swallowed a lump in his throat, then complied with Cas’s order. They laid on their sides, their faces a breath away from each other.

Feeling uncomfortable, Dean stared downwards.

Oh, this man was ridiculous.

Castiel said softly, “you know, when we first started dating, I was in awe that you would let me touch you.” Dean glanced up at him with his eyebrows furrowed. “I thought I was a monster, you see. Not worthy of you. I thought I was being selfish, and unfair to you. You could have whoever you wanted.” Dean’s lips parted slightly, prepared to protest. “But you know what changed my thought process? Acceptance.” A flurry of emotions were present in Dean’s expression. “Yes, Dean Winchester, I am a monster. A monster that you let touch you, that you let kiss you and love you. And I realized something, when I accepted this: you made me a good monster.”

Dean was quiet for a moment. He exhaled, “does that make me a good monster too?”

“We’re both good monsters.”

Dean paused. “We’re quite the pair, aren’t we?”

Castiel smiled. “The perfect pair.”

————

The wayward sisters stormed into the library, disturbing Cas’s reading.

The women all stood in front of his armchair, Castiel wearing an expectant expression.

Claire smirked. “You gripped him tight and raised him from perdition?”

Cas matched her smirk. “What of it?”

The wayward sisters screeched.

————

“You’ve created true fangirls,” Castiel said to Charlie.

The redhead grinned. “I know.” She wiped away a fake tear. “I’m so proud of them.”

Cas just scoffed.

————

Castiel was taken aback by the sound of a piano playing.

There wasn’t a piano in the bunker.

Cas warily followed the music as it grew louder.

He recognized the symphony as he reached a rarely used room in the bunker. And he only knew one angel who could play the piano so hauntingly and beautifully.

Castiel entered the room, and saw Gabriel’s fingers trailing along the keys of a marble piano intimately, playing with his emotions on full display.

When Gabriel noticed his entrance, he stopped playing mid-symphony, addressing Cas.

“Cassie,” his grin was infectious, “today’s the day.”

“Are you sure about this? This is your last chance to back out.”

“It’s one of the few things that I am sure of, Cassie.”

Castiel nodded. “Okay. Let’s go.”

————

Castiel surveyed the dozen sleeping angel babies in their cots.

They were all so precious and adorable.

When Cas noticed one fussing, he cradled the baby carefully, rocking her back and forth with ease. A little smile reached her face as she settled back into her slumber.

As Castiel placed the baby back in her cot soundlessly, Gabriel sauntered into the room.

In a hushed tone, the archangel said, “I’ll take over.”

Cas nodded and zapped to Mary’s Heaven.

————

“Angel babies?” Mary asked over tea. “How interesting.”

“They’re cute,” Cas commented. “They’ve got little white wings and everything.”

“Like the church paintings?”

“I suppose that’s a decent approximation.”

Mary sipped her tea and fell silent.

“Dean says hi, by the way.”

Mary pursed her lips. “He’s not mad?”

“He hasn’t been mad for a long time. He’s glad that I can visit you.”

Mary nodded in understanding. “So, how did you two become a thing?”

Castiel blushed and began an abridged version of the tale of him and Dean.

————

“What is it?”

Castiel caught Gabriel looking conflicted, staring at the paperweight on his desk.

“Is it about the babies?”

“No.”

“Is it about Sam?”

Gabriel’s silence was the clearest yes Cas had ever heard.

“You’ve withdrawn around him,” Castiel observed, playing back any recent interactions where Gabriel and Sam were in the same room. “Did you change your mind about him?”

“No,” Gabriel replied, his face contorting in pain.

Cas sat across from Gabriel and bore his eyes into him. “Then what did change?”

After a beat, words spilled from Gabriel like a waterfall. “We can’t ever be together. Not like you and Dean. I’m different. I’m in a position I never imagined myself in. There’s no escape for me. You get an escape, you get an out. I don’t. I’m the last archangel in existence. I’m the glue holding Heaven together. I can’t just leave. I can’t leave Heaven for selfish wants. Heaven can’t fend for itself because I have feelings for Sam Winchester. Who knows what would happen in my absence! I have to suck it up and accept that nothing concrete could ever happen between me and Sam. I can promise him nothing.”

Unimpressed, Cas leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “Dean and I couldn’t promise each other anything either. Look at us now.”

“That’s different.”

“Maybe it is. But are you going to give up before you even give it a chance? That doesn’t sound like the Gabe I know.”

Gabriel crossed his arms. “Your goading doesn’t change the fact that I’m right.”

“Just consider that, maybe, Sam will want you anyway.”

Cas teleported out of Gabriel’s office.

————

“Darlin’,” Dean smiled sweetly, “I didn’t hear you come in.”

Seeing that they were alone — Dean making dinner — in the kitchen, Castiel rounded the counter and kissed his cheek.

“How’s Mom?” Dean inquired.

Cas immediately pitched in with cooking. “She’s good. She says hi back.”

Dean chuckled. “What else did you go to Heaven for?”

Castiel hesitated. Dean noticed.

Stupid bond.

“Is it a secret?”

“No,” Cas answered. 

“You're not sure how I’ll react?”

“Right.”

The hunter paused. “I’ve gotten better at reigning in my temper, don’t you think?”

“You have. I’m proud of you for that.”

Dean took Cas’s hand. “Stop delaying now. Please?”

“We created more angels.”

Dean raised an eyebrow. “Like, babies?”

“Yeah. They’re cute.”

Castiel could tell Dean didn’t have a response. The topic of babies for humans was a minefield.

Particularly when you’re married.

Dean settled on, “I thought only Chuck could create angels.”

“Archangels can as well,” Cas informed him.

Before anything else could be said, Charlie burst into the kitchen. 

“I thought I smelled something that could only be the work of Cas,” Charlie said, grinning and hugging Castiel tightly.

Cas hugged back. “Do we really have to hug every time I come back? It’s been a day.”

Charlie — after one last squeeze — released Cas from her grip. “It’s been a long hard day without you, Cas.”

“I only came back because it’s Game of Thrones night.”

Charlie mock gasped, then burst into laughter. “If that’s what gets you back here, then so be it.”

Castiel glanced at Dean, whose mind was clearly elsewhere.

Was he thinking of him with a baby, holding the child in his arms, singing lullabies?

Cas shut down the dangerous thought process.

Charlie asked, “when’s dinner gonna be ready?” She mock pouted. “I need sustenance.”

“Soon,” Cas answered.

————

“Darlin’.”

Cas was still coming down from his high. Making love to Dean required all of his energy, and it sometimes took a while to retrieve his head from the clouds. “Hm?”

“Our anniversary is coming up soon.”

“Mhm.” Castiel placed errant kisses along Dean’s neck, trying to distract him.

“Darlin’.”

Cas lifted his body with an elbow, Dean’s pupils dilating at the shift in position. Cas looked down at him like a predator eyeing his prey. “Hm?”

Dean bit his lip, refocusing on Cas’s intense gaze. “Got any ideas?”

“I do.” Cas arched down and kissed Dean softly. “I was thinking we could travel to a few places.”

“How mysterious. Gonna leave me in suspense about the details?”

Castiel smirked knowingly. “I am.”

**Author's Note:**

> The next two parts will be more meta than usual. Part one will be out next weekend. Kudos and comments are appreciated!


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